A different Yule Ball
by Kleo09
Summary: What would've happened if Harry asked Hermione to be his date? How will he ask her? How will Ron react? Will they become a couple?
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, that's one of my first attempts to write an English fanfiction, but English isn't my native language, so please be nice to me. I hope that my grammar isn't that bad.

This story will have five chapters. I'll upload every Sunday in Advent a chapter and the last one on Christmas.

I still need a beta, so if anyone would volunteer, I would be really happy. Just send me a PM

Disclaimer:

Sadly I don't own Harry Potter. Everything belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Summary:

I know that there are many alternate Yule ball stories out there. I decided to write one myself. It's about Harry asking Hermione to the ball.

How will he ask her? How will they learn to dance? Will Ron be a prat? What happens on the evening of the ball?

If you want to know, you just have to read on.

Chapter one – The unexpected task

„Who is your date for the Yule ball, Harry?" Ron asked his mate while fumbling around with his tie. The black haired boy just sighed while trying to tam his hair (without much luck). His best mate was bugging him with that question since he knew Harry had a date for the ball. It was quite annoying.

"Oh come on." the redhead urged him. "You can tell me, after all I'm your best mate. Does that mean nothing to you?" Now he was trying to cut off the quillings of his sleeves. "It's enough that Hermione won't say anything about her date either, at least you could tell me."

Harry just sighed asking himself if Hermione has to go through the same as him.

"Oh come on Hermione. You can tell us with whom you're going." Parvati teased her roommate while applying some make up. "She is right. Just tell us. It's not like we won't know soon. So you can tell us now." nagged Lavender, the other girl in the dorm.

Hermione just rolled her eyes annoyed. Those two were never going to leave her alone. "Well like you said yourself Lavender, you´ll know soon. So I suppose you can still wait another hour." She said while fighting with her bushy hair. It was a nightmare and curled in every direction, just not in the direction the brunette wanted.

"That means you can tell us right now Herms." Lavender was not leaving her alone.

"You'll see soon enough and now could you please leave me alone." Hermione lost her patience and snapped at the girl.

"Pff, come on Pav. Someone is being a jerk." The girl marched out of the room, holding her head high. Parvati just smiled apologizing at Hermione and hurried after her best friend.

The left girl just shook her head and continued trying to get her hair in a knot. She asked herself if Harry had to go through the same with Ron. That boy could be quite stubborn sometimes. He was bugging herself and Harry for weeks. But they had both agreed it would be the best for her, if no one knew about this. Her mind started to wander back.

"Harry, help me." Ron whined fighting with his dress robes. "I look like my great-aunt Tessy." He smelled at himself "And I even smell like my great-aunt Tessy." Harry just looked pitifully at his mate but his thoughts started to wander to a moment a few weeks ago.

Flashback

Harry walked out of the transfiguration classroom, in his mind echoing the words of his professor. 'I expect you and your date … open the ball … dancing'. A date, he, who never ever had a girlfriend should get a date and open a ball, dancing. He couldn't dance. Dudley took some dancing lessons over the summer, but his aunt and his uncle didn't even ask Harry if he wanted to come too (not that he wanted). He nearly walked past Hermione, lost in his thoughts, scaring fantasies running through his mind. Compared to this task he would love to fight against the Hungarian horntail again.

"Hermione, I'm starving." Ron whined. He and the brunette witch were standing in front of the transfiguration classroom, waiting for their fried. "Oh honestly Ronald, can't you wait for a few minutes?" the young witch asked annoyed. "But I'm hungry." He continued his voice an annoying whining. Hermione glared at him. "Well, then go ahead. I'll wait for Harry." "Alright, see you later." The redhead just yelled, already running in the direction of the great hall.

Shaking her head the young witch looked after him. Sometimes she wondered if the world of her friend was just made out of food and Quidditch. Before she could ponder more about the youngest Weasley boy, Harry was walking past her. For a moment she looked confused after the boy, before starting to run, trying to catch up with him.

"Harry, wait up. What happened?" Hermione gasped, not used to running. The black haired boy looked startled for a moment. He had been lost in his thoughts.

"Professor McGonegall said that there'll be a Yule ball and I have to find a date." Harry exclaimed loudly. The young witch just looked at her friend, trying her best not to laugh. The black haired boy looked absolutely terrified. Fighting against a dragon - no problem. Asking a girl on a date - a very big problem. Finally she gave in and laughed heartily.

Harrys face darkened as the know-it-all of Gryffindor started to laugh at him. "What the hell are you laughing at?" Hermione tried to calm down, after she saw the dark look her friend gave her. Between some giggles she tried to explain herself.

"Sorry Harry. You just looked so terrified." After she received a glare from him she quickly continued. "So, where is the problem?" she asked, trying to seem clueless.

Harry looked disbelievingly at the young girl. Wasn't she supposed to know everything? Instead she asked such a stupid question. But as he looked at her face he knew that she knew what was bothering him. Why did she even ask?

"I haven't the faintest clue which girl I should ask on a date." He exclaimed desperate.

"Oh come on, there must be someone you want to ask." Hermione teased him, but silently hoping that he would ask her.

"Um … well … yes … I like Cho, but I don't know her that well. Parvati and Lavender just giggle too much." He pauses am moment to think. "And Ginny is too young, besides she is Rons sister and she has a crush on me. I don't see her that way."

Hermione waited for him to continue, but he wasn't talking anymore.

"Isn't there another girl, maybe?" she asked, hoping that he would get the hint.

"No." the young wizard just said after a moment of thinking.

The brunette witch felt her hopes shattered. Trying her best not to look hurt she turned around.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find someone. After all you're a triwizard champion and the boy-who-lived. I'll go in the library. See you later in the common room."

"Hermione wait, don´t you want to eat?" Harry called after her, but she was out of his sight, before he could stop her.

Why did she look hurt? Harry asked himself what could have happened. He just sighed and walked down to the great hall. Why were girls so complicated?

Flashback end

Harry smiled to himself, he had been such an idiot back then.

"Hey mate, snap out of it. We must go to meet our dates." The voice of his best friend brought him back to reality.

"Well, go ahead. I won't meet her in the great hall. See you at the ball." Harry just told him absently, his mind already starting to wander to his date again. Ron just looked confused at his friend. If he wasn't going to meet his date down in the great hall, she had to be a Gryffindor, right? "So, the mysterious girl is in our house?"

"Ron, could you please leave it alone? You'll know soon." The youngest champion just sighed, once again fighting with his hair.

The redhead finally gave in. "Oh well, keep your secret to yourself. At least, you've got a date. I feel so sorry for the poor girl."

Harry looked confused over to his mate. About whom was he talking? Harry glanced at Neville, who just shrugged with his shoulders, in his face showing the same confusion as the young champion felt.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" the black haired boy asked his best friend. Neville was also looking interested at Ron.

Ron gazed at both of them. Were they playing tricks on him? Why they asked such a stupid question? But Harry and Neville seemed pretty clueless.

"I talk about Hermione of course. I mean, why did she say, that she has a date and won't tell us?" Ron looked expectantly at his roommates, but they still looked pretty confused.

"Because you two would've teased her mercilessly?" Neville suggested.

Ron just shook his head. Sometimes his dorm mate could be pretty clueless, but his best friend wasn't better, he even nodded his agreement to the round faced boy.

"Don't be stupid. She didn't tell us, because she has no one." Ron exclaimed, obviously proud of himself, because he was able to figure it out and his dorm mates weren't. "See you later." And with this he marched out of the door.

Harry looked confused over to Neville.

"Do you have the faintest clue what he was talking about?"

The round faced boy just shook his head.

"Why do you ask me? He is your best mate. But besides, I don't know what he meant."

What did Ron mean with that? Why shouldn't Hermione have a date? The black haired boy thought hard, but came to no resolution. Shrugging his shoulders he gave up. Turning to his dorm mate he said.

"We should go to the common room."

Neville just nodded and walked after Harry down the stairs. Both boys were pretty nervous. Their faces were pale.

Harry's thoughts wandered off again, to the day he asked her.

Flashback start

Harry sat down beside Ron, who was stuffing his face with everything that he could reach from his place. The green eyed boy just looked envious to his best friend. He didn't need to worry about being a triwizard champion and he didn't need to worry about opening the ball. Of course it would look better if the redhead would find himself a date, but there also wouldn't be a problem if he has no one. For all these facts Harry envied him.

"So, what did old McG wanted?" Ron asked the black haired boy, thankfully after swallowing his food.

"I need to find a date and open the ball with the other champions – dancing Ron, dancing."

The youngest Weasly boy nearly spat his pumpkin juice over the whole table.

"You need to what?!" he coughed after he could breathe again.

"I need to find a date and open the ball with the other champions – dancing." Harry repeated.

Ron looked at Harry with a horrified expression, but then he started to chuckle.

"I feel sorry for you mate." the red haired boy said, silently laughing to himself.

Harry just sighed.

"Geez, thanks mate, you're not helping here. "

"Which girl do you want to ask?" Ron questioned his best mate when he calmed down.

"Well, THAT'S my problem, I haven't the faintest clue."

The red haired boy seemed to think for a moment.

"I'm sure you will find someone, after all you're the youngest triwizard champion ever and you're the boy who lived."

With these words Ron turned his attention back on his plate and stared to shuffle everything eatable in his mouth.

Harry sighed and looked around the great hall. He never realised that there were so much girls in Hogwarts. Giggling girls, who always wandered around in herds. Would one of these girls want to go with him?

Suddenly he didn't feel hungry anymore. Instead he felt a little sick.

"I'll go to the common room. See you later."

"Whatever suits you mate." Ron replied chewing.

To Harrys utter surprise Rons words were proving themselves right. He had barely left the hall before a girl asked him to the ball. It was a pretty fifth year of Hufflepuff Harry never spoke before. He turned her down without even thinking about it further. She seemed pretty hurt, but nevertheless rushed away.

Harry hurried his way through the castle. He didn't want such an unpleasant encounter again. But, like he noticed before, there were many girls at Hogwarts, and at least four asked him to the Yule ball. He turned all of them down without much thinking. Most of them had been older and taller than he was. It would look ridiculous, if he went to the ball with a girl a lot taller than himself. Besides he didn't know any of them and they just wanted the boy who lived and the triwizard champion and not Harry.

So, what do you think? I hoped you like it. If you liked it than maybe you can post a review. You'll even get a cookie


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, here comes the second chapter. I'm glad that you liked the first one. Thanks for your reviews.

erika Burling

Thanks for your advice with the green haired Harry. I changed it. But think about it, it would be quite funny XD

I would've written you a PM, but then I notice that you don't have an account on .

Chapter two – The question and the answer

Continue of flashback

With a relieved sigh Harry plopped down on an armchair near the fireplace. Finally there were no longer girls. The black haired boy closed his eyes relieved, but they snapped open again, when he heard giggling. Of course, in Gryffindor were girls too.

Harry decided to ignore them and started to think how to solve his biggest problem – getting a date for the yule ball. He was lost in his thoughts until Hermione name fell over by the giggling girls, Lavender and Parvati, Harry was sure of it.

"Whom do you think Hermion will ask to the ball?" Lavander said.

"You really think someone wants to go with her?" Parvati sniggered.

"I mean, just look at her, she's not exactly what I would call pretty."

The black haired boy listening to their conversation felt his anger grow. He was about to defend his best friend when a thought stuck his mind. Hermione was a GIRL. She could go to the yule ball with him.

In a flash Harry rushed out of the common room, off to find his best friend.

Where could Hermione be? He thought about it for a moment, before it hit him – in the library.

There she was, sitting on a single table surrounded by big and heavy books and scrolls of parchment around her.

Slowly Harry walked over to her and cleared his throat, hoping that she was in a better mood than the last time he saw her. To his relief she acknowledged him, but she still looked at him quite annoyed.

'Here you go Harry.' he thought to himself, before gathering his whole bravery.

"Willyougoballwithme?"

Flashback end

Hermione looked into the mirror and couldn't believe that this pretty girl you could see in the reflection should be herself.

Her hair was for once tamed in a complicated updo with some twirls curling around pale face. A beautiful frilly dress shining in different shades of pink and purple covered her slender body. There was rarely makeup on her skin, but this made her even looks prettier.

The young brown haired girl never considered herself pretty. In fact she always thought that she is really plain. But at the moment she really looked stunning.

Upon looking at the clock Hermione realised that she had to go down soon. Naturally she was pretty nervous. It was her first date. She never had been on a ball before. And, most important fact, she was going with her best friend and this friend was a triwizard champion.

Hermione looked at her reflection one again, but this time she smiled. What will Harry think about her dress? Will he notice finally that she was indeed a girl?

Her thoughts wandered back to the day Harry asked her to the yule ball. It even was the day of the announcement. At first he had been pretty clueless and unintentionally hurt her, not considering her while thinking about the girls he could go with. But later he got really sweet.

Flashback start

Hermione was feeling really hurt. Harry didn't even think about the possibility to ask her to the ball, while rambling about the girls he could go with. He never realised that there had been a girl standing right in front of him.

Now she sat in the library, busy with doing homework and being mad at Harry.

Suddenly someone cleared his throat, forcing her to look up from her work. It was her `Not-so-best-friend-at-the-moment` Harry. Annoyed she glared at him. First he forgot that she is a girl and now he disturbed her work.

"Willyougoballwithme?"

'Did he lose his ability to speak properly?' Hermione asked herself. She looked suspicious at the black haired boy. He looked like he was up to something, standing in front of her and wringing his hands in anticipation.

Harry was feeling pretty nervous. He just asked Hermione to be his date and she looked at him like he was a dragon with two heads. Finally, after a few seconds, she opened her mouth to speak. It just wasn't the answer Harry was expecting.

"What did you just say?" the brunette with asked. She hadn't the faintest idea what Harry was trying to tell her.

"If you talk to someone, then speak like a human being." She lectured him.

The black haired boy gathered all that was left of his bravery and asked her, this time so, that she could understood him.

"Would you … like to … be my … date …for the …yule ball?" he managed to stutter.

Hermiones mouth gaped slightly out of surprise. Did he just ask her to the yule ball? Hary Potter - her secret crush since last year? But then a thought occurred her, a thought she didn't really like.

"Whom did you ask first?" Hermione questioned Harry.

Harry was utterly confused. He expected her to yell at him, telling him that this was a crazy idea but not that question.

"What do you mean?"

The brightest witch of her age huffed in annoyance. Sometimes he was really dense.

"I mean which girls you asked before me? Cho, Parvati, Lavender?"

Bewildered Harry looked at his best friend. Why was she asking such stupid questions? Anyway he decided to answer her, before he got on her bad side.

"None."

"What do you mean none? There must have been someone or else you wouldn't ask me."

Hermione protested. Did he think that she was stupid?

"No Hermione, I really asked no one. Some girls I didn't know asked me, but I turned them down. I didn't ask Cho or Lavender or someone else. I ask you."

The black haired boy explained the brunette which sitting in front of him and now biting her lip. Something she always did when she was nervous and Harry just noticed how cute it was.

'What? Wait, since when Hermione is cute? She is just … Hermione.' He thought to himself.

Hermione was biting her lip nervously. Did he really ask no one before her? Was she really not his last option?

The brunette witch spoke out the first thought that came in her mind.

"Why me? You could have any girl in the castle and probably some of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang too. Why are you asking me?"

'Well, it isn't a refusal yet.' Harry thought to himself.

He should have expected this. This was Hermione. Hermione, who always needs to know the reason behind everything.

"Um … " stammered Harry, trying to find an explanation which would satisfy the brunette haired witch.

"Well … It's just … um … you're one of my best friends. I can talk to you without being embarrassed. It is different with other girls." the black haired boy tried to explain.

"Um … I mean you're one of the blokes."

That was the worst thing he could have said and he noticed that immediately when Hermiones eyes narrowed dangerously.

'One of the blokes? Does he think that I'm a boy?' the brightest witch of her age asked herself. It was hard enough than he didn't recognize her being a girl, but being considered as one of the blokes was much worse. Hermione knew that she wasn't pretty, but she was a girl and not one of the blokes.

"Um … I didn't mean it like that. I mean, of course you're a girl and …. um … but you're one of us … and …" Harry babbled, which made Hermione laugh slightly.

"Alright, I'm one of the blokes." she declared grinning.

"But why do you want to go with men. I'm just the plain looking bookworm and know-it-all from Gryffindor." Hermione continued sadly.

Disbelievingly Harry looked onto his best friend. Did Hermione really thought so about her? Apparently she did.

"Hermione, don't talk about you like that." he chided her.

"But it's true, everyone thinks so." the brunette witch explained to him.

"No Hermione, that's bullshit." Harry swore. He was furious. How could she think about herself like that?

"You aren't a bookworm or a know it all. You're a pretty and smart girl."

Hermione was furious too, but because of another reason. First, he didn't recognise that she is a girl, while standing in front of her, second, he disturbed her work, third he called her a bloke and now he was lying into her face.

The small witch stood up heightening to her not so impressive height, compared to Harry, and put her hands onto her hips.

"Stop lying to me Harry James Potter. I'm not even close to be considered as pretty. I've freckles, huge front teeth and my hair is a nightmare." Hermione nearly yelled at him, forgetting at the moment that her teeth weren't an issue anymore.

Tears threatened to fall out of her eyes, but she didn't allow them to fall. She would not cry in front of Harry. She refused to do so.

Harry looked shocked at his best friend. She really thought about herself like that. Of course he never considered her as a girl being. She was one of them, like he said before, one of the blokes.

He was determined to make her feel better, but how? The black haired boy looked at his best friend and noticed her unshed tears. Oh no, he had to do something, right now.

"Hermione … see. …your freckles are really cute and your teeth aren't an issue anymore. And your hair …" Harry hesitated for a moment, before continuing "It's untameable, like you."

Hermione beamed at him. Not once in her live someone had said such nice things about her. Not once.

The black haired wizard took the chance, as she looked at him with the biggest smile he had ever seen on her face.

"So, will you accompany me to the yule ball?"

The brightest witch at her age never felt so happy before. Her secret crush was asking her to the yule ball and just considered her as pretty. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes again, but this time they were happy tears.

"Yes."

"Really? Thank you." Without thinking he embraced Hermione tightly, which surprised her greatly.

When Harry came to his senses he quickly let go of her and rushed out of the library, leaving Hermione standing there, grinning like an idiot.

Flashback end

Thanks for reading.

So, what do you think? I hope you liked it. When you review you'll even get some cutout cookies :-)


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, here comes the third chapter. I'm glad that you liked the previous ones. Thanks for your reviews.

And thanks to Here's7to6never5growing4up for being my beta.

Chapter three – Ron is an idiot

Hermione smiled as she descended the stairs. Harry had been really stupid back then.

She had just passed the door of the third year's girls' dorm, when a voice called out for her.

"Hey, wait for me."

Hermione turned around and saw her best female friend hurrying after her. Ginny wore a beautiful green dress, which harmonized perfect with her red hair.

"You look pretty. Neville won't know what will hit him." she complimented the redhead.

Ginny just grinned.

"You look pretty hot yourself there Miss Granger. All of the boys will lust over you."

Giggling they made their way downstairs.

Harry and Neville both looked extremely nervous, as they waited for their dates in the common room. The round faced boy fumbled around with his tie, while the boy who lived ran a hand through his hair, trying to make it look less messy.

"What's taking them so long?" Neville asked, slowly becoming impatient.

Harry just shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know but I'm sure that there is a reas …" the black haired boy stopped mid sentenced, his eyes turning wide and his gaze now never left the stairs, which led to the girls dorms.

Neville looked curious at his friend. What happened to him? Was he hit with a spell?

He followed his gaze and his jaw dropped at what he saw there.

Two pretty girls descended the stairs. One of them wearing a green dress, the other one a pink purplish one. Both were smiling radiant. And now, they were walking toward the boys.

Hermione and Ginny couldn't help but started to laugh as they saw their date's faces. They looked ridiculous. Mouths opened like fishes. The two girls just smirked lightly at each other before each of them walked toward their respective dates.

Standing in front of Harry Hermione hoped she would get a reaction from him, but he still stood there looking like a fish. She looked over toward Ginny and saw that Neville don't looked any better. Ginny shook her head slightly and shot Hermione a meaningful glance.

"Close your mouth or you'll catch flies." they said simultaneously.

Both boys' mouths shut close and finally they were able to say something.

"You look …. stunning …" Harry managed to stutter. Hermione really looked beautiful. He never thought of her as plain or ugly, but her looking like that was just … wow. At first he even didn't recognize her. She radiated such a confidence he never had seen before on her.

Hermione blushed slightly as she heard her secret crush telling her to be stunning, but nevertheless she complimented him back.

"You look rather handsome yourself there Mister Potter."

The black haired boy started to laugh heartily. This was the Hermione he knew.

"Are you ready to go?" a female voice interrupted then.

Hermione just laughed.

"Never." she said and continued "Come on." and nearly dragged Harry out of the common room. She had to, because he seemed not ready and stemmed his feet in the ground like a little boy, but he stood no chance against Hermione.

And so they all headed toward the great hall. Harry was now walking willingly beside Hermione and Neville and Ginny walking behind them.

"Ah, finally there you are Mister Potter, Miss Granger. Come over here and wait with the other champions." their transfiguration Professor said. "And you Mister Longbotten, you and Miss Weasly can go to the great hall already."

"See you later." Ginny said to her friends and dragged a rather nervous looking Neville into the great hall. Hermione and Harry smiled and winked at her.

The youngest champion looked at the other pairs. Fleur was there with Roger Davis, beside Krum was a blond girl he didn't know and Cedric took Cho. To his surprise it didn't bother Harry. As he looked closer he realised that the Asian girl was rather pretty tonight, but in his opinion not as pretty as Hermione.

Hermione saw the other Hogwarts champion look at her, obliviously trying to find out who she was. After some time a look of recognise crossed his face.

"Hermione Granger?" he questioned. Cho also looked up at this, because the younger girl was wide known through the whole school. After all she was one of Harry Potter's best friends.

The brunette haired witch smiled at them.

"Yes, it's me."

Cho looked at her astonished, the normal so ordinary looking girl looked really pretty. The older girl leaned toward Hermione.

"You've got to teach me this updo. I nearly got crazy with despair while doing my hair."

Hermione giggled slightly. She hadn't expected this situation, but it was great.

"Of course I will." she told the older girl.

Harry looked at the interaction of the two girls and smiled. He was happy for Hermione. Finally the people saw her as a girl and not just as a plain bookworm. He gazed over toward Cedric who was also looking onto the girls and chuckled when the other Hogwarts champion gave him thumbs up.

"Champions, it's time to go to the great hall." Professor McGonagalls voice interrupted their interactions.

"At first Mister Krum will go in, then Miss Delacour, then Mister Diggory and last Mister Potter." explained the Scottish witch and with a flick of her wand the doors to the great hall opened.

Hermione nervously clutched tightly Harry's arm, which started to feel numb. But the boy didn't notice it. He was incredibly nervous too and relived that his best friend held onto him, or else his legs would've given out beneath him. They felt like jelly.

Whispers branded up in the great hall. All of them wanted to know who that mysterious girl with Potter was. After some time they heard some voices saying 'Wait, is that Granger?' or 'What had that girl hidden under her school robes all the time?'.

Hermione felt her face heat up with all the unwanted attention. She was feeling rather uncomfortable. Normally she was the silent person in the background, watching the people standing in the middle of the attention. But this time she was the one who drew the attention. Nevertheless she also felt a little bit pleased. It convinced her that the girl she saw in the mirror earlier was not just a dream.

Harry felt Hermione tense beside him. She didn´t like this attention and neither did he. He pressed her fingers encouraging and gazed at the faces the people were making. Some of them looked disbelievingly, some of them angry and some of them smiled at the young couple. The black haired boy felt pleased when not even Malfoy found the voice to throw an insult at Hermione.

Finally Harrys gaze fell upon the person he was looking for – Ron Weasly. His eyes were narrowed and he looked angry at his best friends. Why didn't they tell him?

As the youngest champion registered the angry look on his best friends face he shot him a warning glance, clearly remembering the event that happened previous week.

Ron felt Harrys gaze and looked at him, feeling really angry, but then he saw the warning glance his best friend shot him and felt embarrassed. His head and ears got bright red.

The black haired wizard saw Rons face getting redder that he ever saw it. He was clearly remembering what happened last Friday. Harry remembered it too.

Flashback start

Hermione and Harry sat in the common room on a couch near the fire, doing homework. They both had already eaten and wondered where their best friend was. It was unusual for Ron to miss a meal. He always inhaled the food.

"Hermione, can you help me with potions please?" the black haired boy asked the brightest witch of her age.

Sighing Hermione asked "Sure, what's your problem?"

Harry opened his mouth to answer her, but closed it as the door of the common room swung open and Ron came in. He looked bad. His little sister had to support him and led him to an arm chair beside his two best friends.

Hermione and Harry looked unsure at each other and then at their best friend. What happened?

"What happened mate?" the boy who lived broke the silence, but Ron didn't answer and just shook his head.

"He …" his sister started, but Ron was about to interrupt her. "Oh hush it Ron."

"He just got brushed off by a girl." Ginny giggled, looking amused by the situation.

"It was rather frightening. He nearly shouted at her." the youngest redhead continued.

"Who was she?" Hermione managed to ask, fighting to smile herself.

Harry also looked rather interested too.

"Fleur Delacour. I don't know what got into me." Ron whispered.

Ginny broke into another fit of giggles and Hermione tried her hardest not to laugh. Just Harry felt pity for the poor redhead.

"It isn´t your fault mate. She's part veela. Her grandmother was one. She has one of her hairs in her wand." the black haired boy explained.

Ron just nodded sullen, but suddenly looked really determined.

"We've to get us dates. The yule ball is in two weeks."

Harry looked confused at his best friend. What did he mean?

"What do you mean with us?"

Ron looked rather puzzled at Harry's question.

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other and couldn't contain their giggles any longer. Sometimes Ron could be really stupid.

The brunette haired witch smiled as she looked at Harry. He had been clever and asked her on the day their transfiguration Professor announced the ball.

Ginny saw her gaze and grinned. She knew it, she knew that Harry was Hermiones mysterious date.

"You need to get a date too Harry, you're a triwizard champion. You need a date." Ron explained patiently.

Harry squirmed uncomfortable in his seat. He and Hermione never told anyone that they were going together, not even Ron. They agreed that it would be better for Hermione's health if no one knew.

"Well Ron … you see … I already have a date…"

"What?" the redhead looked gobsmacked at first, but then his ears turned red.

Harry, knowing his best friends temper quickly added.

"Sorry that I didn't tell you, but we both thought it would be better for her. I'm a triwizard champion and the boy who lived. Who knows what some other girls would do to her."

Ron nodded, seeing the truth in his best mate's words, and his ears returned to their normal colour.

"But with whom I should go?" the redhead thought for a moment before carrying on. "Well, there is Lavender, but Dean is taking her and Seamus is going with Parvati. Mh… Padma also already has a date …" Ron mumbled to himself.

"I'm sure you'll find someone." Hermione said with a smile to encourage her friend. At this words Ron suddenly looked up and startled her.

"Hermione you're a girl." The redhead exclaimed rather loudly.

"Glad you noticed it." The brunette haired witch snapped annoyed.

"Easy Hermione, but then you can go with me." Ron said happily.

Hermione just shook her head and blushed. "No I can't. I already have someone."

While she said this Harry tried not to look like he knew something and Ginny just started to giggle.

Confused Ron looked at her for a moment and then said. "No, you haven't. Come on, to go alone as a boy is one thing, but as a girl it's much worse."

The brunette's eyes narrowed dangerously "And you know that so well Ronald Weasley. Just because you needed three years to get that I'm a girl doesn't mean that no one else noticed."

Harry cringed at the tone his best friend was using. Ron had to be careful or this could end badly for him. It was Hermione's 'Say another wrong word and I'll hex you into next week.' tone.

The redhead just didn't seem to get it. He looked irritated, but then he smiled again.

"Alright, I got it, you're a girl. So, are you coming with me or not?"

Harry just groaned at his best friend's bashfulness and Ginny slapped her forehead. Could her brother really be that stupid?

Hermione narrowed her eyes even further and her lips were in a strict line, an expression which could challenge Professor McGonagalls.

"Ron, like I told you before, I already have someone." She explained to him with forced calmness.

The redhead didn't look like he got it now. He looked angered.

"If you don't want to go to the ball why didn't you said so in the beginning? You should consider yourself lucky that I even asked someone like you." He stated harsh.

"What do you mean someone like me?" Hermione asked dangerously calm.

Harry and Ginny also looked at Ron in confusion. Both didn't like were that was going.

"With someone like you I mean a pale, bossy know-it-all with awful hair and a body like a boy." Ron said hurtfully.

Hermione looked at him, feeling like a knife just stabbed her chest. All the things she told Harry others were thinking about her were true. The black haired wizard had assured her that they weren't, but Ron was the living proof that Hermione was right. She knew that she wasn't pretty, but hearing one of her so called best friends say such things about her were pretty hurtful.

Hermione felt her eyes watering, but she refused to cry in front of the boy who made her feel so horrible.

"If you say so, but the boy who asked me thinks differently." The brunette haired witch said in an ice cold tone, turned around and nearly ran out of the common room, the tears already starting to fall.

Ron looked after her and then in the shocked faces of his best friend and his sister.

"What?" he asked. "I just told her the truth."

Harry was ready to punch him. He had spent hours to convince Hermione that no one thought like that about her and now their best friend showed that he did.

"You really screwed up this time Ron." He said serious and turned around to go after his date.

"What do you mean …" the redhead started but then asked louder furiously "Wait, were you going?"

"To find Hermione and undo the damage you've done." Harry just yelled back and stormed out of the portrait hole.

"Bloody mental those two." Ron said to his sister while shaking his head.

Ginny who had stood beside them silently from the beginning was shaking with rage. Her brother was such a git sometimes. As he said this sentence something snapped in her. She slapped her brother with her whole strength, turned around and stormed to the girl's dorms, before she could do something worse.

Ron held his aching cheek and looked after his sister. He asked himself what was going on.

Harry run around the halls looking for Hermione, ignoring the confused looks others gave him as he passed. Where the hell could she have gone? He stopped in an empty passageway and tried to catch his breath.

Suddenly a thought occurred to him and he cursed himself for not thinking earlier of it. The black haired boy looked around. When he noticed that he was still alone he grabbed the marauders map. With an 'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good.` the whole castle was shown on the parchment.

After a few moments he found Hermione. She was on the other side of the castle. Hurriedly Harry murmured a quick `Mischief managed` and started to jog to the astronomy tower. He had to get to Hermione. He had to assure her that not everybody thought like that.

Hermione was sitting in the snow at top of the astronomy tower. It was pretty cold here but she didn't care. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, her head lying on top of them while she had started to let her tears fall freely. It hurt. It just bloody hurt.

The brunette haired girl didn't notice the sharping wind around her, letting snowflakes cower her hair slowly. She didn't notice the cold sneaking up in her bones. Hermione shivered out of the cold, but she didn't care. She just cried.

Her shoulders tensed when someone sat beside her and slipped an arm around. Who was it?

"You know Ron isn't right, do you?" Harry's voice asked. His heart had gone out for her, when he had seen her sitting like that in the cold - cowered with snow, violently shivering and weeping silently.

Hermione relaxed as she heard his voice, but she didn't look up. She knew that Ron was right. After all she told Harry that in the beginning.

"Ron is right. I told you so." The broken witch whispered.

Harry was furious about the redhead and wished he would've given in his urges and hit him. But he could do that later. Right now he had to concentrate on Hermione.

"No Hermione he isn't." he said determined, but Hermione just shook her head.

"Hermione look at me."

The brunette haired just turned her head away. She didn't want to see his pity.

"Hermione, please look at me." Harry tried again, but without much success. She shook her head again.

The black haired boy had enough of this and turned her head gently that he could look at her. His heart went out with pity as he saw that tears were still streaming down her face.

"He isn't right. Ron is wrong. I told you before that you're everything, but not plain."

Hermione looked into his face and looked for a lie, but she couldn't find one. He was honest with her. He really thought so. She leaned forward and buried her head in his chest and started to cry stronger.

Harry felt rather helpless as Hermione suddenly held him close and sobbed for all that was worth. Unsure what to do he moved a comforting hand up and down her back. It was the closest a girl had ever been to him.

After some time the sobs became more silent until Hermione just sniffed a little. She enjoyed being that close to Harry and inhaled his unique smell.

When Hermione's senses kicked in again she slowly untangled herself from Harry. The situation was rather uncomfortable.

"Thank you." She whispered silent and looked everywhere but not at Harry.

The boy just smiled.

"You're welcome."

"Harry, you don't wear proper clothes for this weather. You'll get sick." Hermione exclaimed worried after some time.

Harry just laughed.

"And this comes from the witch who sits out here for ages."

Hermione looked at him a little bit annoyed, but then joined to laugh with him.

Needless to say that both went to Madam Pomprfey the next day and she chided them for being reckless while damp steamed out of their ears from the pepper up potion.

Flashback end

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it. Now there are just two more chapters to go.

When you review you'll even get a cup of hot chocolate ;-)


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, here comes my fourth chapter. I'm really glad, that you liked my story so far. Thanks for your reviews.

Sadly my beta Here's7to6never5growing4up wasn't able to look over this chapter, so there could be mistakes. If you find mistakes you've got two choices, either you keep them or you point them out to me :D

EDIT: In the meantime my beta Here's7to6never5growing4up was able to smooth my chapter out. Thanks to her

Chapter four

The black haired boy ran a hand through his hair, making it even more disheveled than before. He was relieved that they had finally reached the table. Now the attention of the pupils was on their food and not on the champions anymore.

Wait, on their food, but how do you get your food? Curious Harry looked around, but everyone was staring at empty plates, pondering about the same question like him. His questioning gaze turned to Hermione.

"How …?" he started, but the brown haired girl just shrugged with her shoulders. She hadn't the faintest glue.

Hermiones gaze wandered through the hall. She was glad that nobody stared at her anymore, because she hated to be the center of attention. But now she had another problem. How to get your food?

Finally their gazes fell upon Professor Dumbledore. He studied the menu, said out loud what he wanted and suddenly the food appeared on his plate. Happily he started to dig in.

Harry grinned and turned back to his own plate. He would never be tired of the wonders of magic. But then his grin faltered. This must be very complex for the house elves. His worried gaze traveled to Hermione. But for once she didn't seem to think about house elves. She was engaged in a conversation with Cho about updos and it seemed like she failed to notice what she was eating. Cedric just grinned at Harry, rolled his eyes and mouthed 'Girls.'. The black haired boy just waved and shrugged his shoulders.

Hermione was talking animated to Cho. She never expected that the Asian girl could've the same problems that she had. It was fun. She had fun. Hermione expected the Yule ball to be quite boring. But she actually had fun. Another girl was talking to her like she was a girl. No one had done this before besides Harry maybe.

'Harry …. Oh no, I totally forgot about him.' Feeling guilty Hermione turned to him, just to find him grinning at her. He didn't seem offended at all. Instead he looked like he was having the time of his life. Nothing she expected from him.

Actually Harry was having fun. He talked to Cedric about Quidditch. Of course he could talk to Ron about such things too, but it was refreshing to talk to a person who wasn't a Gryffindor. After some time he felt Hermiones gaze on him .He turned toward her and grinned.

"You're having fun?" he asked her.

She just nodded happily.

"Yes, I never thought the Yule ball could be fun for me. But it is."

Suddenly Professor Dumbledores voice sounded through the great hall.

"Now it's time for the dance." He gestured his hands toward the triwizard champions "Champions, if you would please."

Harry and Hermione turned pale. That was what they were both most afraid of – Dancing. Taking in their panicked gaze Professor McGonegall nodded encouraging at her little lions. She was sure that they wouldn't embarrass themselves, not after what she had seen.

Flashback Start

Hermione and Harry sat in the library doing homework. Ron wasn't with them. The redhead thought that playing exploding Snape was more important than his schoolwork. Besides he didn't know how to approach Hermione, as both, Harry and Ginny, had given him a piece of their minds about his speech.

The brunette witch was already finished and waited for Harry to finish his work. While waiting she read a book. At least, it looked like she would read, but she hadn't turned a page in the last fifteen minutes.

Her thoughts were far away, dreaming of the ball. There would be a great atmosphere, splendid food and they would be dancing. Wait, what dancing? Did Harry even know how to dance? She knew the basics, but what was about him?

Doubtful Hermione looked at her best friend who just threw his feather away with a big grin on his face.

"Finally finished." He exclaimed.

"Um …. Harry …" Hermione started, unsure how to approach the grinning boy. "Do you know how to dance?" she finally finished.

Harrys grin faltered. He never thought about that. He had been so happy to have a date that he totally forgot about the dancing part. One thing was sure, he couldn't dance, but what was with Hermione?

"No." he groaned, running a hand through his hair absently, making it even messier.

"Do you?" he questioned his best friend.

"Well … yes." Hermione admitted quietly. She should've known. But how could she blame him? His relatives probably didn't even thin to send their nephew to dancing lessons.

Harry's eyes lit up at that. Hermione could dance, which meant, she could teach him.

"Then teach me." He said.

The witch had expected this reaction. It was always the same, if you don't know something, just ask Hermione.

Regretfully she shook her head. "I can't teach you. I would need a little help myself. I just know the basics and I'm not that good at dancing."

Harry hung his head. They would make idiots of themselves at the ball.

Hermione instead refused to give up. She thought hardly.

"We need someone who can teach us." The brunette said, thinking out loud.

Her best friend looked up at her words. Who could teach them how to dance?

"But who?" he exclaimed desperately.

Hermione didn't acknowledge him. She just bit her lip while thinking.

Harry looked at his best friends face. She looked rather cute thinking like that. Her nose was slightly wrinkled, her brows furrowed in concentration and the way she was biting on her lips was driving Harry crazy. However he was startled out of his thoughts when Hermione exclaimed "Professor McGonegall!"

"What, Hermione, you can't be serious." He stuttered. Professor McGonegall, their transfiguration Professor and head of house should teach him how to dance? Unbelievingly he looked at Hermione, who just giggled at the face her best friend made.

"Nope, that would be your godfather. I'm Hermione." The brunette haired witch said laughing at her best friends face.

"But … but … but …" Harry started, but Hermione cut him off quite quickly. "No buts, we'll go to her, now."

With that, Hermione gathered their things, thrust Harry,s bag at him, grabbed his hand and started to drag him out of the library before he even had the chance to protest again.

Professor McGonagall sat in her office, grading fifth year's papers. She knew that there were better ways to spend your Friday evening, but she was a woman who liked to do things as quick as possible.

Suddenly a knock on her door made her look up. Who dared to interrupt her Friday Evening? Laying her feather down the professor sighed.

"Come in." she called.

'Come in.' it sounded from behind the door.

"Alright Harry, here we go." Hermione said and gathered all her bravery to push the door open. Professor McGonagall was her favourite teacher, but she didn't know how she would react to their request.

Slowly the brunette haired witch pushed the door open and walked into her professors office, dragging Harry along with her

"Miss Granger, Mister Potter?" their head of the house looked quite surprised to see them. "What do you want from me on a Friday evening?" she asked curious.

"Um … professor … you see …." Hermione started, not really sure how to approach things, but she continued quickly as she saw her favourite professors brow furrowing slightly. "Well … Harry asked me … to be his … date on …. the yule ball …."

Harry stood beside Hermione and felt his face starting to burn as Hermione told their head of the house. Was she crazy? How could Professor McGonagall help them? They both should go until they embarrassed themselves further.

"That's great Miss Granger, but I suppose you're not here to tell me this." Professor McGonagall said dryly. In truth she was amused by this situation. Seeing Miss Granger standing in front of her speechless and Mister Potter right beside her, his face matching Mister Wesley's was quite funny.

"No … no … we're not." The brightest witch of her age confessed and hurried to speak on "We … want to ask you … if you were willing … to teach us … how to … dance?" she finally managed to stutter out, her face now matching Harrys.

Minerva McGonagall stood dumbstruck in front of her two students. They wanted her to teach them how to dance? It's not that she couldn't dance. She just didn't expected that.

"You don't have to teach us." Hermione started to rumble, interpreting the silence of her transfiguration teacher wrong. "I can teach Harry. After all I know the basics at least."

Harry stood beside her and didn't say a word. He just waited for his professor's reaction.

Finally Minerva McGonagall came to her senses and interrupted the babbling of her favourite student. She had tortured them enough.

"It's alright Miss Granger. I would love to teach you." She smiled. "Would every second evening 7 o clock at my class room starting tomorrow be alright for you two?"

Harry couldn't believe what he just heard. His strict professor just agreed to teach them how to dance. Unbelievingly he looked to Hermione, just to find her smiling at their professor.

Hermione smiled at she heard her professor's words. She knew it. She knew that her favourite teacher would help them.

"Yes, that would be alright. Thank you Professor. We wish you a pleasant evening. Until tomorrow." the brunette haired witch said kindly to her professor and pulled Harry out of the office with her.

Once the door closed she turned to Harry and smiled at him.

"See I told you in the beginning that she would help us." Hermione grinned at the boy who lived.

Harry just groaned.

Lesson Number one

"Come on Harry, we're going to be late." Hermione shouted at her best friend, as they ran through the halls to their Professors classroom.

Catching their breaths they knocked onto the door.

"Come in!"

Harry looked pale and was very nervous, but nevertheless he went into the room, after a just as pale and nervous looking Hermione.

Their Professor smiled at them. "Good evening." She said and before her charges even had the chance to answer her she continued to talk.

"So, then let's start. I think Miss Granger here can exercise the steps mostly on her own, because she already knows the basics."

Turning to the brunette witch Professor McGonagall asked "Is that alright with you Miss Granger?"

"Of course Professor." Hermione told her favourite teacher and smiled at her. She was feeling a little bit disappointed that she had to exercise alone today, but she was anxious to know what their Professor had planned for Harry.

Professor McGonagall was now turning to the black haired wizard.

"I will teach you the basics Mister Potter."

Witch a flick of her wand music now filled the room.

"Now, come here Mister Potter."

Reluctantly Harry stepped closer to his teacher.

"Put your hand at my hip."

"Where?!" Something must be wrong with his ears. That was the only reasonable explanation.

Professor McGonagall didn't hesitated and took the boys hand and placed it on her hip and they started to sway to the music.

Seeking for help Harry looked over to Hermione, but she was nearly doubling over, laughing silently. This must be a bad dream. He sighed and gave in his fate.

"Miss Granger you were pretty good. You memorized the steps nearly correct."

Hermione grinned at her Professors praise. This first lesson had turned out pretty funny, at least for her. She had to stifle a giggle as she turned to the sullen looking Harry.

"You also weren't that bad Mister Potter. You can exercise with Miss Granger the day after tomorrow." Their Professor said to the now smiling Harry. He always thought that he would make an idiot out of himself, but apparently he didn't.

"I'm sure that my feet won't survive another dancing round." The Scottish witch muttered under her breath, so silent that only her favourite charge could her, who then grinned at her.

"See you the day after tomorrow."

Hermione waved her Professor good bye and returned to the common room with Harry, who was moaning about his hurting feet.

Lesson Number two

"Take this healing salve Miss Granger. I can imagine how your feet must feel at the moment." Professor McGonegall murmured to Hermione.

"Thank you." The girl said, as she winced in pain when she put her weight on her feet. It was the end of the second lesson and Hermione couldn't even count how much times Harry stepped on her feet.

Lesson Number three

"No Mister Potter, put your hand at her hip and look that way." Professor McGonagall instructed, pointing in the direction Harrys head should be.

"Ow, Harry, could you please stop stepping on my feet." Hermione, Harrys dancing partner exclaimed a little bit annoyed. Her feet were killing her.

"Sorry Hermione." The black haired boy apologized.

He sighed. Dancing wasn't his thing. He wasn't able to concentrate on his feet, his hands and his head on the same time.

Lesson Number four

"So Mister Potter, now that you finally got the hang of the steps could you please stop looking on your feet the whole time." Professor McGonagall instructed the black haired boy.

"Yes Professor." Harry said looking up and promptly stepping on Hermione's feet.

"Sorry." He said to the wincing Hermione.

Lesson Number five

"Mister Potter, would you be so nice and leave your hands were they should be and not somewhere else on Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall told the blushing young boy.

Harry sighed and just nodded toward his transfiguration teacher. He was slowly getting the hang of this, but just slowly. Hermione instead was brilliant with this.

"Sorry." He apologized as Hermione suddenly winced. He had stepped on her feet once again.

Lesson Number six

"Very good Mister Potter and you too Miss Granger. Finally you got the hang of this." Professor McGonagall said.

"Thanks Professor." Hermione said while she and Harry danced through the room. Harry just nodded at her cause he still needed to concentrate pretty hard.

Flashback End

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it. Now there is just one more chapter to go. I hope I'll get it finished until Christmas.

When you review this time you'll even get some cutout cookies I just made today ;-)


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